Multi-position break-before-make snap-action switch



' A ril 14, 1970 w. L. CHERRY 3, 06

' MULT I-POS ITION BREAK-BEFOREMAKE SNAP-ACTION SWITCH Filed Sept. 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR. WflA m? 1. 62/525) April 14, 1970 w. L. CHERRY 3,505,798

MULTI-POSITION BREAK-BEFORE-MAKE SNAP-ACTION SWITCH Filed Sept. 11, 1967 1 2 Sheets-Sheet'2 I NVENTOR.

//.S iffy/PAM?- a United States Patent 3,506,798 MULTI-POSITION BREAK-BEFORE-MAKE SNAP-ACTION SWITCH Walter L. Cherry, Highland Park, Ill., assignor to Cherry Electrical Products Corporation, Highland Park, III., a

corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 666,717 Int. Cl. H01h 19/32 US Cl. 200-63 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A snap-action switch having a multiple break-beforemake position which includes a non-conductive mounting plate upon which is carried a contact ring as well as a movable switch member that provides a contact point and a wiper finger diametrically related to each other and extending in a coplanar relation with respect to the mounting plate. A plurality of spaced apart conductor members providing contact fingers are carried by the mounting plate, and have the contact fingers extending over and above a portion of an adjacent conductor member such that the wiper finger as it is moved over the mounting plate can only successively engage adjacent contact fingers in a break-before-rnake fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the principal objects of this invention is the provision in a switch of a simple arrangement for effecting an instantaneous make-and-break contact, the arrangement being such that pitting or welding of the contacting contacts is avoided by a wiping action between the stationary and the moving contacts, thus maintaining and improving a proper performance of the switch at all times.

A further and equally important object of the invention is the provision in a switch of this character in which the duration between the break-and-make contact may be varied by a simple bending adjustment of the stationary contacts with respect to the moving contact.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same as viewed in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fagmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a contact ring embodied in the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the same;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a. mounting plate embodied in the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a contact plate embodied in the invention.

The several objects of my invention are accomplished by the preferred form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings wherein a mounting plate is indicated at 10. This plate is formed of non-conductive material and in the present instance has a centrally located opening 11 formed therein. Such mounting plate along its peripheral edge portion 12 (FIG. 7) has formed therein a plurality of circumferentially rectangularly 3,506,798 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 "ice shaped openings 13, each to receive an elongated contact plate 14 (FIG. 8).

The plate 14 has a flat intermediate portion 15 from one end of which extends downwardly a terminal 16 to which a circuit wire, not shown, may be connected by solder or any other suitable means. The opposite end of the intermediate portion 15 provides an upwardly and angularly extending contact finger 17. The angular degree between the portion 15 and finger 17 may be varied by bending the finger at its junction 17' with the portion 15 (FIG. 8). The portion 15 has an opening 18 formed therein to which a connecting rivet 19 or the like extends for connecting the plate 14 to the mounting plate 12 as best seen in FIG. 4, the rivet 19 extending through an opening 20 formed in the plate 12.

When the plate 14 is mounted in each of the openings 13 in the manner shown in FIG. 4, while thus mounted, the upwardly and angularly extending contact finger 17 of one plate 14 will overlie and be spaced from the intermediate flat portion 17 for reasons which will hereinafter be more apparent.

Secured to the plate 10 is a conductor ring 21 having a terminal 22 to which a circuit wire is connected in any suitable manner. This terminal 22 extends through a central opening 23 formed in the plate 10. Rotatably positioned through the opening 23 is a shaft 24 rotatably supported in any approved manner. A switch rotor is generally indicated at 24'. The construction of such rotor is as follows:

A collar 25 is fixedly connected to the shaft 24 by a set screw 26. A conductor disc 27 is fixedly mounted on a reduced portion 28 of the collar 25 for rotation with the shaft 24. This disc 27 carries a contact head 29 which is in contact with the conductor ring 21, FIGS. 2 and 3.

The disc 27 opposite the contact 29 provides a flexible contact finger 30 which extends laterally from the peripheral edge of the disc 27 in a position to contact the fingers 17. As the shaft 24 is axially rotated, the wiper contact finger 30 will successively engage the contact fingers 17.

In FIG. 4, I have schematically illustrated the progressive rotation of the finger 30 over and in contact successively with the contact fingers 17. For example, as the contact finger reaches the point 30-A (FIG. 4) it will be disposed in a position to move from contact the finger 17 over which it has just passed and dropped by snapaction into the position 30-B on contact finger 17 of the fingers 17. As the shaft 24 continues to rotate, the finger 30 will ride upon the inclined contact finger 17 until it reaches the position indicated at 30-C whereupon it will again drop upon the next succeeding contact finger 17" of the contact fingers 17. It will be particularly noted that as the finger 30 disengages from the contact finger 17, it will during this operation, clean the finger 30 of any dirt or pit which may be present on the contact finger 30, thus to assure positive contact at all times. The distance between adjacent contact fingers may be varied so as to lengthen or shorten the period of the break-and-make contact. The fingers 17, as well as the finger 30, are formed of conductive material such as will best serve the purpose.

From the foregoing description, it will be manifest that I have provided a snap-action break-before-make rotary switch which will be highly efficient for its intended purpose and one which can be manufactured at an economical cost.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into ef: fect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scop of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A multi-position break-before-rnake switch comprising:

(a) a non-conductive mounting plate,

(b) a contact ring mounted in facial abutment on one surface of said mounting plate,

(c) a movable switch member providing a contact point and a wiper finger diametrically related to each other in coplanar relation with said mounting plate,

(d) said contact point as provided by said switch member extending therefrom a distance less than that of said wiper finger so as to be in engagement with said contact ring while said wiper finger extends therebeyond,

(e) a plurality of spaced apart conductor members carried by said plate beyond the periphery of said contact ring and within the radius of said wiper finger, and

(f) said connector members providing contact fingers with the finger of one conductor member extending over and beyond a portion of the finger of an adjacent conductor member so that said contact fingers are successively engaged by said wiper finger of said switch member as the same is caused to be moved over said mounting plate and beyond said contact ring.

2. A snap-action break-before-make switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said fingers are inclined away from said mounting plate and adapted to be successively engaged by said wiper finger when moved by said switch member relative to said fingers.

snap-action 3. A snap-action break-before-make switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said conductor members having intermediate portions connected to said plate in spaced relation to said contact ring, and terminal legs and contact fingers at opposite ends thereof, said legs extending through the plate and said fingers being inclined in a direction from said plate and overlying the intermediate portions of the next adjacent conductor member, and engageable successively by said contact point.

4. A snap-action break-before-make switch as defined by claim 1 wherein said mounting plate has a plurality of spaced apart openings formed therein, a plurality of conductor members each having an intermediate portion fixed to said plate and a terminal leg extending through an adjacent opening of said openings, and a finger inclined in a direction from said plate, the finger of one conductor member being spaced from and overlying the intermediate portion of an adjacent one of said conductor members, said fingers adapted to be successively engaged by said wiper finger.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 656,291 8/1900 Hoif-mann 20063 2,518,628 8/1950 Maclntyre 20063 X 2,755,347 7/1956 Allison.

2,790,861 4/1957 Johnson 200-65 X ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner D. SMITH, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 200-166 

